Of Entwives And Hobbits
by HyperCaz
Summary: One day Merry thinks he sees an Ent roaming around the Shire. So he and Pippin set out to find out who it is. DISCCONTINUED
1. Was that an Ent?

Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
I was reading Two Towers and decided to write something about Entwives.  
  
  
  
Pippin was dozing in the living room of Bag End while Merry peered out the window. They had landed the chore of house sitting while Samwise and Rose Gamgee took their child to the Sea.  
  
A year or so after the Scouring of the Shire, sudden growth had burst from every place imaginable. The Hobbits had been delighted and thought nothing of it. However, Meriadoc Brandybuck was thinking this over.  
  
"How odd," Merry muttered, "That we have sudden growth in our fallow lands."  
  
He squinted out over the Shire and tried to make out New Row in the heavy mist which had fallen early last night. Already, the sun was rising, ready to drive the mists away - if the weather allowed it.  
  
Merry looked back over at Pippin who had taken refuge in an armchair. Merry recalled that Frodo had once sat in that very chair every night since returning from Mordor. . .until he left once more, never to return.  
  
Mordor.  
  
Merry shivered, turning his eyes back outside again. He imagined he could see New Row and its many occupants, but his eyes still deceived him. He decided that nothing could be seen and was about to turn away when he saw something that made him blink.  
  
A large figure was looming out there.  
  
At first Merry thought it was a Man, or an Elf, but it seemed larger than that. His eyes widened and he said to himself,  
  
"Unless I am mistaken, that was an Ent!"  
  
But even so, he was cautious. He didn't think Treebeard would come this way - not even some of his younger Ent companions. Mr Brandybuck grabbed his Elven cloak off the hat stand and threw it over himself, throwing open the rounded door.  
  
"Hello?" He called out, "Is anyone out there?"  
  
Grabbing a lantern from the table by the door, he lit it and hurried outside, moving his lantern around in the gloom. Suddenly, the air seemed very still, close against his face. No sound was to be heard, and nothing to been seen. The mist was so think he couldn't see Bag End from the gate.  
  
An unmistakable thud shook the ground at his feet. Merry crept forwards to where he thought the sound had come from. He called out once more,  
  
"Is anyone out there?"  
  
THUD!  
  
It came again, followed by numerous thuds, each growing more faint. Merry ran blindly after it, casting his lantern aside. He knew he couldn't keep up, but his curiosity drove him ever forward. As he ran, he heard the continuous dread of something far larger than an Elf or Man.  
  
Finally, he admitted defeat and leant on a post for support. He then realised he was very alone and that he could see nothing through the mist. Cursing loudly, he turned around and attempted to retrace his steps.  
  
He didn't arrive back at Bag End until the sun had risen high at midday, chasing all the mist away. Of course, he was very hungry, having missed a few meals.  
  
  
  
"Where have you been?" Demanded Pippin.  
  
Merry found he was too excited to speak,  
  
"You'll never believe me, Peregrin Took. I was chasing an Ent."  
  
Pippin raised an eyebrow,  
  
"Am I supposed to believe you?"  
  
Merry wasn't going to answer that one. He suddenly became very interested with what Pippin had prepared for lunch. Pippin sat down and looked levelly at Merry,  
  
"You might ruin our reputations as the best bachelors in the Shire if you go on dithering about things like that."  
  
"So?" Merry said around a mouthful of food, "I'm not looking for a companion. You are."  
  
His friend, a little hurt, stood up abruptly and left the room. Meriadoc finished off his lunch and looked around the kitchen for any left overs. He found Pippin rummaging through a cupboard in search of something.  
  
Pippin straightened up, a small drawstring bag in his hand. With his other hand, he whipped out his pipe and proceeded to fill his pipe up with the weed he had found.  
  
"Leave some for me," Merry reminded him absently.  
  
"As if!" Chortled Pippin, "You never leave me any."  
  
The other Hobbit snapped back to himself. He turned to Peregrin, challenging,  
  
"Tomorrow morning, will you accompany me in finding this Ent?"  
  
Pippin puffed a few moments.  
  
"If only to prove there are no Ents in the area, I will come along," He sniggered.  
  
  
  
Lying on his stomach in the expansive garden of Bag End, Pippin complained that he was hungry. Merry peered at him through a heavy mist,  
  
"You don't usually eat anything this early."  
  
"Because I'm usually asleep," Pointed out Mr Took.  
  
Merry snorted, but no his attention was on the still gardens of Bag End. He suddenly noticed a tree he could have sworn wasn't there the previous day. Carefully, he wriggled forward, trying to avoid being detected. But at once he knew this had failed, for the tree swung a limb in his direction, missing him by inches.  
  
"Hey you!" Merry called, struck by sudden inspiration, "Are you an Ent?"  
  
The tree seemed to pause, the placed two of it's large feet together and a loud bellow rang out over Hobbiton. Merry and Pippin covered there ears as it echoed. When they had recovered, the Ent had vanished.  
  
  
  
More soon! I know the story sucked, but there you are! 


	2. Pippin Believes

Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own LOTR  
  
Thanks to all those who reviewed!  
  
"I still don't believe you," Pippin said flatly.  
  
"Come on Pippin! You saw it with your own eyes! If that wasn't an Ent, what do you call a moving tree in the gardens of Bag End?"  
  
Pippin tipped his head towards the table,  
  
"Lack of sleep and breakfast."  
  
Merry was frustrated with his cousin and decided to drop the matter. If Pippin didn't want to help him pursure the matter, he'd do so himself. There was only one real place to look for an Ent in all of the Shire and Merry knew exactly where it was.  
  
The Old Forest.  
  
Meriadoc stood up suddenly and strode over to the front door,  
  
"I shan't be long - I'm just poking around a bit."  
  
"Well don't poke too much!" Called Pippin sleepily, "You have a reputation you know. . ."  
  
With a great snore, his head fell forwards and he drifted off into dreams about Fangorn Forest.  
  
  
  
Brandybuck soon regretted his decision once he'd reached the gate. Unless he took a cart, it would take a long time to reach the Old Forest. He leapt to his only choice and asked a nearby Hobbit (a relation several times removed) if he might borrow a cart for a week. Generously, the Hobbit let him ride off hastily before nipping off down to the pub.  
  
Merry didn't know why he was compelled to go to the forest right the nand there, but he drove the two horses on mercilessly, hoping to make his journey much shorter than it was. If he took the new road out past Farmer Maggot's house . . .  
  
The new road had no name yet, as no one had thought of anything fitting for it. There were suggestions for either Took or Brandybuck (seeings as most Hobbits idolised them) but each time they were turned down. Merry didn't really care, as long as the road was a fast shortcut across the Shire.  
  
Suddenly, he drew the horses to a stop, looking around. The road had brought him to the edge of the forest, but he dared not venture any further. He remembered his last encounter in there and decided he'd watch it from the road, as not to anger the trees any more than they were.  
  
The hours ticked by slowly and the waiting night rose suddenly with the slight moon. Merry soon found his eyelids drooping, no matter how hard he fought to keep them open. He took to singing but his voice faded to a whisper after less than five minutes. Finally, he gave in and fell fast asleep.  
  
  
  
Meriadoc woke up very quickly when at last he was able to. He found himself in bright sunshine peeking through the trees. It was quite past dawn and no mist had risen at all that night. Slightly unnerved, Merry jumped back onto the cart and sped off for Bag End. All the while, he kept shooting nervous glances over his shoulder at the ever decreasing forest.  
  
When he could no longer see it, he turned his attention back to the road. By nightfall he had reached Bag End, looking warm and inviting with a merrily crackling fire. Merry let the horses into the shed around the back and walked briskly inside.  
  
He found his cousin was quite busy romancing his lastest admirer - Diamond of Long Cleeve. Annoyed, Merry went staright to the kitchen table and buried himself in a great deal of leftovers. When Diamond had finally gone, Pippin joint his cousin,  
  
"No Ents, eh? I told you not to go poking around."  
  
"Pippin!" Merry cried, exasperated, "I fell asleep, that's all."  
  
Peregrin chortled,  
  
"You fell asleep? If they were Ents about (and I'm not saying there are) they would have made sure you went to sleep. Here, have a smoke."  
  
Merry accepted the pipe and took a long puff from it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pippin looking at him uncertainly.  
  
He probably thinks I've cracked, Merry reflected.  
  
"I'm going to bed," Merry announced shortly.  
  
"I think you should," Agreed his cousin who was smoking absently, gazing out the window, "You sound rather stressed."  
  
  
  
Peregrin Took made his way to his guest room long after Merry had nodded off. Pippin had just settled into bed when he heard a creaking noise from outside. Shrugging this off, he turned on his side - away from the window. Even if he didn't believe Merry's story, he admitted to himself he was thorougly scared. What if it was a Huorn gone bad? The Shire would be in a spot of trouble if it was.  
  
He closed his eyes and will himself to sleep. He tried counting sheep, but as he it always does, the method didn't work.  
  
Tap, tap, tap.  
  
Pippin felt his heart clench in his chest. He told himself it was just the wind. He snuck a look out the window and saw nothing but a stray branch against his window. He relaxed.  
  
Tap, tap, tap.  
  
Annoyed, Pippin hid his head under the fluffy pillow, trying to block out the sound. There was silence and he breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, through the thickness of the pillow, he heard his window open. Jumping up in fright, he scurried over and looked out. He could make out a tree striding away underneath the moonlight before vanishing.  
  
Pippin sank to his knees, suddenly believing his cousin's claim.  
  
  
  
Merry woke to someone drawing back the curtain, letting streaming sun into his eyes.  
  
"Ah! Pippin!" He complained, "Too bright!"  
  
He looked over at his cousin who seemed pale and drawn. Pippin burst out,  
  
"I believe you about the Ent!"  
  
Merry was surprised, needless to say,  
  
"Why the change?"  
  
"It became as obvious as a tree tapping on my window," Muttered Peregrin in a strange manner.  
  
A grin swept over Merry's face as he watched Pippin depart the room, lost in a deep train of thought. It seemed that Pippin had seen the Ent, and had accepted it.  
  
Merry got dressed and peered out the window. Not a soul moved that he could see, but the wind kicked up dirt and the dancing limbs of trees. He squinted out at several trees, but saw that they were never going to move, even if someone approached them with an axe or flaming torch. Sighing, he leant against the window sill and pressed his forehead against the glass.  
  
What business did Ents have in the Shire? 


	3. Trouble with Pippin

Disclaimer: Own? You must be joking.  
  
AN: Sorry for the lack of updates!!! I'm updating everything I can, starting from the bottom up.  
  
~~~  
  
Merry went down to the kitchen and found Pippin buried in the cupboards, looking for something to smoke. Grumbling, he rocked back on his heels and exclaimed crossly,  
  
"There's nothing to smoke. I've lost my pipe, there's Ents running wild, there - "  
  
"Oh, be quiet," Meriadoc told him, annoyed.  
  
He sat down and began calculating if he had enough money to pull a few pints of mead down at the nearby inn. He didn't notice that his cousin was now looking out the window and mumbling under his breath about moving trees, not until Pippin began jumping up and down and pointing excitedly out the window. For one wild moment, Merry thought an Ent was outside, but it only turned out to be Diamond of Long Cleve, Pippin's latest flavour of the week.  
  
"It won't last, you know," His cousin told him firmly, "She's too good for you."  
  
Peregrin Took chortled and bounded over to the round door, eagerly pulling it open. Diamond was accompanied with a friend, Estella Bolger. Both had become rather giggly upon being invited into the house, something Merry despised terribly. He made a hasty retreat to his bedroom.  
  
But Pippin had other plans. He bellowed down the hallway,  
  
"Merry! We've got guests!"  
  
Thus it was with great reluctance that Brandybuck unbolted the door and pushed it slowly open. His cousin was innocently grinning in a way which convinced Merry to give him a good beating later. Later would probably turn out to be in the evening, when Diamond and Estella left. If, they left.  
  
"Nice to see you," Muttered Merry before storming off to the kitchen to cook up the second breakfast. He heard his cousin comment about having the cold or some virus. He also heard Estella suggesting bed rest. Grimacing, Merry ignored them. He wouldn't stand for this.  
  
Moment outside caught his eye. A tree on the horizon swayed in the breeze, upper branches waving furiously. He then realized that no other trees were doing so and leapt out the window, not evening waiting to tell Peregrin. Sure enough, it was an Ent - one which wasn't sticking around. With a graceful turn, it began racing across the grass, waving back at Merry who was already out of breath.  
  
By the time he'd reached a thick belt of trees, the elusive Ent had vanished. Merry swore. It seemed that he needed Pippin with him - and quickly. He couldn't quite shake the feeling of emergency or the distinct fear emanating from the Ents. He turned back to Bag End, walking in measured strides. He saw Pippin hanging out the window and shaking his fist at him. Oh, let him. There's no harm in it.  
  
~~~  
  
It was evening by the time Diamond of Long Cleve and Estella Bolger left, giggling all the way to the gate. Pippin waved them off, a dreamy look in his eyes. Merry snorted when he saw this, and presented the stolen pipe back to his cousin. Pippin wasn't *too* mad.  
  
Meriadoc waited until the other had calmed down before saying placidly,  
  
"I chased an Ent this morning, while you were chatting up the guests."  
  
Pippin coughed and dropped his pipe.  
  
Merry continued,  
  
"I think we both need to be together for the Ents to talk to us."  
  
"You've cracked," Pippin went on with his coughing fit.  
  
His cousin waited a moment until the coughing subsided. He relieved Peregrin of the pipe, threw it aside and hid most of the substance,  
  
"Pippin, are you going to help me or not? We need to figure who these guys are! Why exactly are they here and why knocking on our door? Aren't you the *slightest* bit curious?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Even a little?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I'm sure you'd want to find out. . .you hate being chased by trees in your dreams don't you?"  
  
Pippin glowered at him, the familiar of a troll,  
  
"Get to the point."  
  
Meriadoc Brandybuck cleared his throat and sat back in his chair, puffing thoughtfully. Finally, he tossed his pipe aside and did some quick thinking. Finally, he looked his cousin straight in the eye,  
  
"We're going to hike into the Old Forest."  
  
~~~  
  
The brisk night air bit at their heels, reminding forcefully that winter was on its way. The moon shone down in all her radiance and bathed the fields and houses in a soft glow until they shone like stars. Merry cheerfully walked along, grinning into the night as though it was a child hood hike long before Mordor.  
  
Peregrin Took, however, complained every chance he got. He hated the weather, hated the hike across the new road, hated leaving his pipe at home, etc etc. He wanted to go home, and kept calling his cousin an idiot who had embarrassed himself in front of a general audience at the inn with too much mead.  
  
It was well past resting hour when they reached the spot Merry had camped out at before. He whistled as he stared out into the woods, wondering if he really should walk into them. Maybe Pippin was right, maybe there weren't any Ents. But they had seen them, hadn't they? Merry bit his lip thoughtfully.  
  
"Well?" Demanded Pippin crossly, "Are we going in or not?"  
  
Merry's lantern gave one last splutter and dimmed. He stared at it, frowning in the dark. It hadn't been coincidence that he had flickered out, surely. He smiled slyly at his cousin, even though he couldn't see him,  
  
"Pippin, I hope you're not afraid of the dark."  
  
The "fool of a Took" swallowed nervously,  
  
"And if I was?"  
  
"Forget it," Merry advised him, "Come on - let's get to the heart of this matter."  
  
~~~  
  
DUN DUN DUN!  
  
Hehe - will they find Ents? What happens. . .? Does danger await them?  
  
Screw that - tune in next time for Of Entwives and Hobbits. 


	4. Mosshair

Disclaimer: *grumbles* The characters and stuff belong to the late Mr. Tolkien. The story belongs to a muse who likes to desert me at certain times.  
  
~~~  
  
Pippin did not move. He glared furiously through the dark, hearing his cousin pause on the road and turn around.  
  
"Are you coming or not?" Demanded Meriadoc Brandybuck impatiently.  
  
Peregrin took a tinsy step forward and spoke with a tremble,  
  
"I'm kind of afraid of the dark."  
  
Merry made a noise in his noise, sounding a cross between amused and annoyed. He grabbed Took's arm and dragged him forward into the first line of trees. Almost immediately, a wind swept up, blowing through the trees and leading loose leaves a dance. Pippin gulped, mentally scolding himself.  
  
Oh great, he thought angrily, I wasn't freaked out by evil people trying to nick a piece of jewellery but get thwarted by the dark.  
  
While Pippin was struggling with his inner turmoil, Merry was continuously dragging his cousin into the forest, pausing every so often as if to listen for giant footsteps. Peregrin found this actually quite funny, considering there didn't appear to be any Ents around. Maybe they'd just done it to get their attention, play a joke. . .  
  
THUMP  
  
Pippin cursed loudly, earning himself a slap on the shoulder. His cousin was listening intently and, for a moment, Merry doing this reminded him of a rather short Legolas. Brandybuck looked up suspiciously at a neighbouring tree.  
  
"Pippin," He said quietly, "I think we have company."  
  
The fool of a Took went red in the face, usually a trait which Merry was guilty for. He said loudly,  
  
"Well, DUH! Big bad Ents stomping around the Shire, my cousin nicking off with my pipe - I've had enough! Yoo hoo, Ents! Are you out there? Hello!"  
  
He wasn't really expecting an answer, only letting off steam. It was quite a shock when a tree nearby blinked and rumbled softly,  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Pippin's mouth dropped open and he jumped back a step. Merry gave him a sideways glance then squared his shoulders, facing the Ent. Already branches were bending at man-like joints and the tree was standing up an extra few feet. Pippin muttered darkly to himself about the annoying habits of cousins and forests who liked to scare poor innocent Hobbits such as himself.  
  
"Hello," Meriadoc said carefully, keeping his voice light, "I, that is, we want to know why you are here."  
  
His cousin was rocking on his heels, shooting the darkness around a terrified glance. What appeared to be the Ent's beard swayed a little as the tree herder studied the two Hobbits intently. Finally, it said in a quiet, mellow rumble,  
  
"We do not know why, it is only the will of the wind pushing our branches and fronds away."  
  
Peregrin Took snorted rudely, but managed to sound mildly curious,  
  
"Not meaning to be blunt, but Ents here aren't exactly a common thing."  
  
"There is no need for them to be here," The squatting tree replied neutrally, "It amazes me that you, short-men, know of the Ents. No, we are not them."  
  
It subsided into a thoughtful mumble, eyes darting from Hobbit to Hobbit in apparent studious amusement. Merry frowned at a distant spot over the tree line, confused. Well, if it wasn't an Ent, then what was it? Not many species were trees and happened to walk, when one thought about it. He opened his mouth, then shut it. Questions poised on his lips, but none seemed of any relevance. Finally, it was Pippin who demanded,  
  
"If you're not an Ent then what are you?"  
  
Brandybuck shot him a warning look, clearly expressing that no insolence was to be demonstrated. The tree blinked its bulbous eyes, replying without offence,  
  
"We are not the tree herders, but the wives of tree herders."  
  
It took a moment for this to sink in.  
  
"Y-You're an Entwife," Merry stammered, stunned. Thoughts raced across his mind. First, rational voices telling him that this was only a dream, then more intelligent voices telling him that this was a most remarkable find.  
  
Standing to full height, the Entwife was surprised. It now became clear that what both Hobbits thought was a beard of moss was, in fact, strings of hair lining the cheeks and scalp of the Entwife. She inclined her large head,  
  
"You know what I am, short-man?"  
  
Before Merry could respond, Pippin jumped in,  
  
"Well, of course we do! Met a few Ents, didn't we Merry, down in Fangorn Forest a while back. Don't happen to know Treebeard do you?"  
  
The Entmaiden blinked slowly, deliberately,  
  
"You speak of the Great Tree Herder, do you not? The others and I have not laid eyes of him or his folk for more than a century or longer. I cannot tell - time has never been seen as important amongst us."  
  
"When you say us. . ." Meriadoc looked around expectantly, "Do you mean other Entwives?"  
  
The tree raised its head and answered with as much grace as possible,  
  
"It is only they to call me Mosshair, for the Ents are far gone. You have seen Treebeard? Which way does he lie?"  
  
Took busied himself with pretending to look for a map of Middle-Earth, which he knew he didn't have, then clawed through his bag in search for a compass, which he also knew he didn't have. However, it only took his cousin moments to locate the direction in his mind. Merry gazed imploringly upwards,  
  
"Southwards in, as we say, Fangorn Forest of Rohan."  
  
The Entwife settled down again into a crouch, seemingly uncomfortable with any position to maintain it for long. She opened and closed her eyes tiredly, as though conversation was exhausting.  
  
"We are not headed that way," Mosshair murmured quietly, "The wind takes us elsewhere. Southwards is another time."  
  
Merry reached his limit and burst out,  
  
"But you summoned us! Why else would you than to know of where the Ents are?"  
  
Peregrin grinned at him appreciatively, silently applauding with his bag tucked under one arm. Mosshair lazily looked at Merry, the starlight from above reflected in her tired eyes,  
  
"It is only the minds of curious Hobbits that brough you here, then, short- men."  
  
Then the Entwife had frozen in position, lids rolling over eyes, leaving Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took staring in disbelief at her sleeping form. 


End file.
